Benefits for Affiliated Societies

Toward the top of any list of benefits that the American Orchid Society offers its members is interaction with and support of our valued affiliated societies around the globe. It’s at the local society level that the true grassroots education about the hobby occurs, not to mention the outstanding camaraderie that often exists among people who share a common passion.

With the importance of our affiliates in mind, below you will find the listing of benefits that are in place with the AOS’s affiliated societies program. AOS Reps around the world have received this information in various forms over the years, but we’re disseminating it in this Web-friendly manner in an effort to encourage you to get involved with a local orchid society … or to form a new one. If, indeed, you are already a part of an active local affiliate, that’s terrific! We hope, then, that this listing simply will serve to further familiarize you with the benefits of your group’s affiliation with the AOS.

Should you have any questions with regard to any of these benefits or you would like information about starting a new orchid society and then becoming affiliated with the AOS, or if you have any queries whatsoever regarding the interaction between your society and the AOS, do not hesitate to contact the Chair of the Affiliated Societies Committee at affiliated_societies@aos.org.

We encourage you to take advantage of the multitude of fine educational resources that are at your fingertips in the listing at left. Take a look for yourself. These items are free of charge unless otherwise indicated.

Available to each affiliate’s program coordinator, the Speakers List will assist you in obtaining speakers who are available to present talks on quite a large range of topics. At left are links to two versions of the Speakers List: PDF and Excel spreadsheet. Or you may write to " Speakers List", the American Orchid Society at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, 10901 Old Cutler Rd., Coral Gables, FL 33156 or email theaos@aos.org with the subject line Speakers List.

AOS Judging at Your Orchid Show
One of the prime benefits of being an affiliate is having AOS judging at your orchid show. Details for staging a show are in the 11th edition of the AOS Handbook on Judging and Exhibition, including directions for your photographer. By contacting the Awards Registrar at AOS headquarters six months prior to your event, you can request the necessary documents and also order the prestigious AOS Show Trophy. The plants in your show will be eligible for AOS awards, which are recorded in the AOS awards program, AQ Plus.

Listing of Your Society’s Shows in Orchids and on the AOS Web Site
The show dates for your Society’s orchid show will be printed in the Calendar of Events section of the Orchids magazine, as well as here on the Society’s Web site.

Culture Sheets
The AOS’s popular orchid culture sheets are available in pdf format on the AOS’s Web site. Currently, culture sheets are available for many popular genera in several languages. Additionally, there are html versions of the major genera that can be translated into more than twenty languages instantly by using the language selector over the AOS logo on this website. AOS culture sheets may be reproduced in your society newsletter provided that the following statement accompanies the text: “Prepared by: American Orchid Society at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, 10901 Old Cutler Rd., Coral Gables, FL 33156 (Web site www.aos.org).”

Organizational Aids
Several documents developed to assist your affiliated society or organization are available from AOS headquarters. These publications include a Job Description Manual, Uniform Show Schedule (prepared by the Mid-America Orchid Congress), and an informational packet on how to obtain tax-exempt status for your local group. If your affiliate is interested in sponsoring an AOS Members Meeting (a privilege reserved solely for affiliates), there also is an essential publication available titled Company’s Coming, which reviews what it takes to host one of the AOS’s semiannual meetings.

Certificates of Appreciation
Each affiliate is eligible to receive annually two free Certificates of Appreciation for presentation to valued members of your own group. The beautiful certificates may be requested at any time from AOS headquarters.

Free Listings of Your Society
One of the premier benefits of being affiliated with the AOS is that meeting and contact information for each affiliate is listed in the popular AOS Orchid Source Directory (which is disseminated every other year, free, to all AOS members) and on the Society’s Web site. The importance and responsibility of each society to maintain current and correct information cannot be over-emphasized, but, considering the fact that the AOS is the primary place in the world that folks turn to for matters pertaining to orchids, this kept-current contact list is a treasured benefit of being an affiliate. Links to your group’s own organization are also provided here on the AOS’s Web site, driving even more traffic and interest to you.

Slide Programs
Also available to each affiliate, this popular listing is broken down by major subject, followed by a listing of AOS slide programs and Powerpoint® presentations . This listing is available here on the AOS Web site. If you already have this listing and are interested in obtaining one of the programs, requests must be made at least eight weeks in advance and can be made here on our Web site or in writing by forwarding the important following information:

Name of your society or organization.

Date of meeting at which the slide program will be presented.

Number and title of the program desired (plus your second and third choices).

Name and address for the forwarding of the program.

Sharing Recorded Webinars at Affiliated Society Meetings
AOS
webinars offer a personal presentation for society meetings. This short Powerpoint
presentation details how to use them.

Direct-mail Marketing Assistance
Access to AOS members’ names and addresses for the purpose of promoting your shows, seminars and special events via direct mail can be obtained from the AOS’s Membership Services Department. Please contact us well in advance of your anticipated mailing and let us know what states, countries or zip or postal code ranges you are interested in obtaining. While this service is free of charge, we do appreciate a donation to help defray costs associated with producing and mailing these lists. Contact the Society’s Membership Services Department at 305-740-2010.

The Distinguished Affiliated Societies Service Award (DASSA)
This prestigious award is given to an affiliate in recognition of sustained, outstanding contributions in areas of service and support in the field of orchidology. Criteria for consideration of any affiliate include long-term sponsorship of shows, public education projects, conservation efforts, orchid workshops and hosting of local, regional and national orchid events. Further consideration is given to an affiliate’s development and distribution of an outstanding newsletter, significant support of an AOS judging center and the overall promotion and support of the AOS. Nominations for the DASSA may be made by any member of an AOS affiliate and should be forwarded to the Affiliated Societies Committee. If granted, the award is presented by the AOS President (or his or her designee) at the breakfast meeting in conjunction with the Annual Meeting of the AOS. Further praise is accorded a DASSA winner in the pages of the AOS’s monthly membership magazine, Orchids, and here on the Society’s Web site. Find
the DASSA nomination form at left.

Find and attend a local orchid society meeting. Meet orchid lovers and learn about growing orchids under your conditions and discover which orchids do well in your area. Monthly meetings often feature a program, sales and/or raffle table, education session and the opportunity to discuss culture and exchange plants. Find a group near you and attend a meeting!